AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His answer came just in time, and he smiled with pride.
Tara stepped around him, her shoulders thrown back, her chin up, and her eyes glowing deep purple. “I will wed Reeve of the MacAlpin clan.”
“You wed the king,” Carnoth shouted at her.
She threw her chin up higher. “I will not. Once before you gave me a choice to wed Reeve. I foolishly refused. I correct my foolishness right now. I will wed Reeve.”
“That was before, this is now,” Carnoth argued. “You will wed the king.”
“I will not wed another man when I could possibly be carrying Reeve’s child.”
That had Mara running over to her, and, like a battling ram, she pushed Carnoth out of the way and hooked her arm with Tara’s. “She’s right. If she carries a MacAlpin babe, she has the right to wed the father.”
Carnoth glared at both women. “Fine, wed the fool, right now. He will be dead shortly afterwards and then you will honor my agreement with the king.”
Chapter 31
Mara had everyone in place in no time, whispering to Reeve and Tara that they would have a proper exchange of vows and celebration another time. For now this would do.
Reeve couldn’t have agreed more. He wanted vows exchanged right now, before anything else interfered. Unfortunately, the next interference came from his family.
Willow flew off the steps and into the great hall yelling, “Trey is awake.”
“Let him wait,” Carnoth yelled angrily. “I want this done.”
Tara turned on her father. “If as you claim, Reeve will be dead shortly after our vows are exchanged, then I insist that he be given the chance to speak with his brother one last time.”
Reeve grinned. “Your daughter has a point, Carnoth.”
The man mumbled beneath his breath before waving them away. “Be quick about it.”
MacAlpin warriors roamed the great hall, their presence a warning to Carnoth and a relief to the parents and brothers as they hurried up the stairs.
Mara was the first one in the room, but then everyone moved out of her way, including her husband, who followed on her heels. Tears filled her eyes, seeing her son lying back against a mound of pillows instead of lying prone as if in death.
“Welcome back,” she said with glee and tearful eyes. “You are feeling all right?” She reached out and checked his brow for herself.
“I hurt, but that is good, for it means I am alive,” Trey said with a stronger voice than any of them had expected.
“You gave us quite a scare,” Mercy said, standing beside her husband, his arm around her.
“That you did,” Duncan said. “It is good to have you back.”
“Damn good,” Bryce added.
“Pleased that you’re finally among the living,” Reeve teased.
Carmag simply placed a firm hand on his son’s shoulder.
Mara started her fussing. “You’ll need some food, and I’ll get you a shirt and—”
Trey grabbed hold of his mother’s hand and Mara stilled, her tears of relief ready to fall. “Your stitching saved my life.”
“I wish my hands had been skilled enough to have saved you. But it was Tara who stitched you up and gave you a chance to live.”
Reeve tugged Tara from behind Duncan, where she was attempting to hide, and he knew why. When Trey had woken briefly and his eyes had caught hers, he had pointed at her, and said, “death.” Since she had just faced her father, who had reminded her that she was a death bride, she hadn’t needed another reminder. Not that he believed it would cause her to renege on her decision though he believed it would play on her fear.
“My about-to-be-wife,” Reeve said and, with a firm arm around her waist, approached his brother.
